Beyond feel-good advice for healing our divides

Here’s what it actually takes to bring people together.

You’ve probably heard the advice before: Just listen more. Find common ground. Focus on what unites us.

And sure — it sounds nice. But in practice, a lot of that bridge-building talk can feel… oversimplified. Even a little Pollyanna-ish. Especially when you’ve tried it, and it didn’t get you anywhere.

This episode of Outrage Overload, we’re doing something different.

I’m joined once again by Rich Harwood, founder of The Harwood Institute, and author of the powerful new book The New Civic Path: Restoring Our Belief in One Another and This Nation.

Rich doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges. He’s been in the trenches — in places fractured by crisis, politics, even tragedy. What he offers isn’t idealism, but realism rooted in action. It’s about starting small, turning outward, and staying grounded when the noise of outrage tempts us to give up.

If you're struggling with the current political environment...

You're not alone. But I'd suggest something that might shift your perspective:
What we’re seeing at the national level — whether frustration with Democrats, fear of Trump, or general political dysfunction — is more of a symptom than a cause.

The real crisis is underneath all of that: our disconnection, our civic fragmentation, and the vacuum left when trust and shared purpose break down. That vacuum is exactly what populist and extreme ideas rush to fill.

If we want to change the outcomes, we have to repair the foundation.

We talk about:

• Why so much advice about unity falls flat

• What actually works in rebuilding trust

• How local action can change everything

• And what role each of us can play — even when things feel hopeless

If you’re tired of shallow answers and want to understand what real civic healing looks like, this episode is for you.

📘 Check out Rich’s new book: https://theharwoodinstitute.org/newcivicpath

This isn’t about pretending we all agree. It’s about rediscovering the power we do have — right where we are.

Thanks,
David Beckemeyer

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New This Week in Outrage Episode!

It’s everything the Outrage Overload podcast is not. It’s not edited. It’s not scripted. It’s lightly researched. It’s David and Lisa talking about this week in outrage, what was in the news, in the memes, and maybe finding some backstory with a humorous (at least to us) twist.